2014 Symmetry Meritage Red Blend

Reserve

Winemaking Notes

The 2014 Symmetry is a luxurious bouquet of black cherry, plum, black fig and rose petals which unfold on the palate with silky layers of black fruits, minerality and baking spices. This wine is harmonious and elegant with a vibrant mouthfeel.

Food pairings

Decant and enjoy this wine now with roasted vegetables, grilled pork tenderloin, braised lamb shanks, or cellar for enjoyment for years to come.

History

With over 40 years of experience growing classic French grape varieties in Alexander Valley, we select our best Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and other traditional Bordeaux grapes from the hills that overlook the valley, where well-drained rocky soils combine with warm, sunny days and cool nights to provide ideal growing conditions. Select areas within each vineyard are hand harvested, fermented separately and aged in the finest French oak barrels. After about six months, each lot is tasted and graded; only the highest graded wines are considered for Symmetry. The blend is then assembled, and the wine is returned to barrels to facilitate flavor integration. The wine is aged an additional 12 to 20 months, before bottling.

The Vineyards

The exceptional 2014 vintage started with buds pushing a little early after a very dry winter. The spring continued to be warm and dry, conditions favorable for optimum fruit set. Summer brought more warmth as the grapes acclimated to the sunshine. Brothers Cabernet Block 1, at the base of the mountainside picked the earliest, as it usually does, on September 8. We waited 9 days before picking Cabernet again at Brothers. Around the same time, we picked our Pine Flat Merlot block, on the valley floor near Jimtown in southern Alexander Valley, and a small block of Petit Verdot at the very top of the hill at Rockaway. The last picks for our Symmetry came in early October, as we went into another Petit Verdot block at Rockaway, plus the Cabernet Franc and Malbec from the warm soils of Knight’s Valley.